too
precipitate to halt in time and the yelling weapon swung round,
horizontally mowing down the foremost pair of men like wooden pins.
The weight of the boy, more than the force of the blow, jerked him from
the sculptor's hands. Kenkenes recovered himself and retreated. As he
did so, he stumbled on a fragment of rock. He wrenched it from its bed
and balanced it above his head.

The powerful figure with the primitive weapon was too savage a picture
for the remaining pair to contemplate at close quarters. Unas had made
no movement to help in the assault. He had felt the weight of the
sculptor's hand and had evidently published the savagery of the young
man to his assistants. They had come prepared to capture an athletic
malefactor, but here was a jungle tiger brought to bay. They retired
till their fallen fellows should arise.

The vanquished were struggling to gain their feet, and Kenkenes noted
it with concern. He was not gaining in this lull. There were other
stones about him. He hurled the fragment with a sure aim, and a
Nubian, who had been overthrown, dropped limply and stretched himself
on the sand.

With a howl the remaining three charged. They were too close for the
second missile of Kenkenes to do any slaughter, and he went down under
the combined attack, fighting insanely.

"Slit his throat," Unas shrieked, tumbling on the captive, as Kenkenes'
superhuman struggles threatened to shake them off. One of the men
raised himself and made ready to obey. Holding to Kenkenes with one
hand, he drew a knife from his belt and prepared to strike.

At that instant, the captive caught sight of a pale woman-face, the
eyes blazing with vengeance. There was a flash of a white-sleeved arm
and the thump and jolt of a dagger driven strongly through flesh. The
murderous Nubian yelled and tumbled, kicking, on the sand. He carried
a knife at the juncture of the neck and shoulder.

Instantly there was a chorus of yells.

"She-devil! Hyena!"

Unas detached himself from the struggle and plunged after Rachel, now
in full sight of Kenkenes. He saw her retreat, warding off the fat
courier with her hands; he saw her stumble and fall; he saw Anubis fly,
with a chatter of rage, in the face of the courier, and struggling
mightily, he threw off his captors, and leaped to his feet.

And then the light went out in Egypt!

[1] It was not uncommon for Egyptians to threaten their gods.

CHAPTER XXXV

LIG